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New iMac Keyboard Revealed?
- Thread starter mrat93
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zorinlynx
macrumors G3
I agree, the Model M doesn't really fit in. 🙂
But holy crap is it nice to type on. Trust me, it's worth it in every way if you type a lot.
If someone made a well-build, nice looking keyboard with the same buckling spring keyswitch design as the Model M that goes with the Mac, I'd be buying it in a hearbeat. The closest I've seen so far is the Matias Tactile Pro, but at $150 it's not worth buying to replace my reliable Model M.
bjoggi
macrumors newbie
Also what makes me really doubt that this is real is the new placement for the Volume Up and Down, Eject, etc.
How annoying could it be to use applications that use these F1-F9 shortcuts? And no "fn" key on the keyboard, like on the MacBook and MB Pro.
I sure hope that IF this is fake, that this is one of the first prototypes from Apple 1 year ago or so..
How annoying could it be to use applications that use these F1-F9 shortcuts? And no "fn" key on the keyboard, like on the MacBook and MB Pro.
I sure hope that IF this is fake, that this is one of the first prototypes from Apple 1 year ago or so..
Something seems fishy
This could easily be an old prototype or some kind of cheap Asian knock-off. Witness the fairly convincing clones of the iPod nano and the iPhone that we've seen pictures of in recent months.
What raises a question for me is one of the labels on the bottom of the keyboard. It clearly mentions "rubber feet" in "Moon Gray". But if you look at the the bottom of the keyboard pictured, those divots seem concave without any feet. Even if my perception of the feet is wrong, they certainly aren't moon gray.
Are the two vendors (cable and plating) mentioned on the label actually in business with Apple?
Would a prototype be assigned a model number?
This could easily be an old prototype or some kind of cheap Asian knock-off. Witness the fairly convincing clones of the iPod nano and the iPhone that we've seen pictures of in recent months.
What raises a question for me is one of the labels on the bottom of the keyboard. It clearly mentions "rubber feet" in "Moon Gray". But if you look at the the bottom of the keyboard pictured, those divots seem concave without any feet. Even if my perception of the feet is wrong, they certainly aren't moon gray.
Are the two vendors (cable and plating) mentioned on the label actually in business with Apple?
Would a prototype be assigned a model number?
As a member of that Hong Kong forum, I am a bit surprised to see it being reported by Engadget, MacNN, TUAW, and here Macrumors.
cleanup
macrumors 68030
Like someone said before, I think the weird-looking Apple makes it look more authentic. A faker can easily just type out ? perfectly. It would be flawless. Who would go to the trouble of drawing it out and then very clearly making a mistake on it?
The sticker was probably stuck on a little weird, but you can't see it because of the camera's flash. If you look closely you can notice a shadow of a guy holding a camera.
This thing isn't a digital fabrication. It's definitely real, physical, and from Apple. It might only be a prototype, however, and not be the final version of the keyboard. If you look closely at all the photos you can't really deny its authenticism. Even on close-ups you can see underneath the keys and you can spot the little rubber thingies underneath.
The new placement of the buttons is def. questionable, but when was the last time you saw an application that actually used those function buttons?
And there is an fn key. It has taken the place of the "Help" key above the forward "Delete" key. Look closely.
I live in Shanghai and the only convincing knockoffs I've seen are those of the 2nd gen iPod shuffles. And they don't make knock-offs of computers, keyboards, etc., only portable electronics like the iPod and iPhone. And they're far from convincing.
As for the feet, they are convex. And although they don't appear grey, they could have been easily overexposed under a camera flash.
This keyboard is definitely easier to clean than the current one.
Also notice how they removed the useless §± key just under the esc key and replaced it with the `~ key that used to be at the left of the Z key.
Thats why they also made the left shift key wider..
I'm not sure we will need 19 F keys (F19). Also look at the 0 key in the numeric pad... I think it looks very bad...
Also notice how they removed the useless §± key just under the esc key and replaced it with the `~ key that used to be at the left of the Z key.
Thats why they also made the left shift key wider..
I'm not sure we will need 19 F keys (F19). Also look at the 0 key in the numeric pad... I think it looks very bad...
Claytoniss
macrumors regular
butter face keyboard
I think they are fake. I don't know why you would want to make a keyboard so flat with flat buttons and god awful white on brushed metal? I like typing on my apple keys now, its very soothing, especially when there is a Compaq keyboard right next to me.
I just don't think these would be ergonomic at all. It looks cheap too. I hope they are fake.
I think they are fake. I don't know why you would want to make a keyboard so flat with flat buttons and god awful white on brushed metal? I like typing on my apple keys now, its very soothing, especially when there is a Compaq keyboard right next to me.
I just don't think these would be ergonomic at all. It looks cheap too. I hope they are fake.
samh004
macrumors 68020
Unfortunately the flickr photos have been deleted from that users account, guess he didn't like the spotlight.
I downloaded the original photos, as I'd imagine many others did, but am a bit sceptical about putting them up on my account and then having my account deleted by Yahoo!
They were flat out deleted too, as a link saved with one of the files leads to nothing now.
I downloaded the original photos, as I'd imagine many others did, but am a bit sceptical about putting them up on my account and then having my account deleted by Yahoo!
They were flat out deleted too, as a link saved with one of the files leads to nothing now.
It has to be hard to make the keyboards for the desktop act the same as the laptops. MacBooks and MBPs just have more things that need controlling (num lock, display mirroring, keyboard brightness control, etc). But from what I can tell, they're using the keyboard to make things more obvious to new users. I can't tell you how many people I've met that don't know about using the f-keys to access dashboard or even know about expose, aside from accidents. This new keyboard has Expose and Dashboard on keys F3 and F4 respectively. They also left a few keys open for your other favorites, such as spaces. The Help key was annoying as all get out in Office, the function key that replaces it could act a modifier for the Expose key to get different modes.
The removal of the 'Apple' key is sad but let's face it, it hasn't served a purpose in 20 years. The command symbol is what appears in all menus and will better serve as the icon. If you look on a PC keyboard, the Windows logo open up the start bar, where the Windows logo appears. The Apple key never opened the Apple menu and probably led to a bit of confusion to new users.
I believe the f-keys on the right side of the keyboard have been placed there once again for conformity, but also to have a few programmable keys above the numeric padavailable for spreadsheets, possibly the new iWork.
To those who seem to have a problem with the white/brushed metal look, I have to ask whether you realize this has been around for a few years. The iMac, Cinema Displays, Mac mini, AppleTV, iPod nano, iPod mini, and the iPod shuffle have all and are still using this color scheme.
The removal of the 'Apple' key is sad but let's face it, it hasn't served a purpose in 20 years. The command symbol is what appears in all menus and will better serve as the icon. If you look on a PC keyboard, the Windows logo open up the start bar, where the Windows logo appears. The Apple key never opened the Apple menu and probably led to a bit of confusion to new users.
I believe the f-keys on the right side of the keyboard have been placed there once again for conformity, but also to have a few programmable keys above the numeric padavailable for spreadsheets, possibly the new iWork.
To those who seem to have a problem with the white/brushed metal look, I have to ask whether you realize this has been around for a few years. The iMac, Cinema Displays, Mac mini, AppleTV, iPod nano, iPod mini, and the iPod shuffle have all and are still using this color scheme.
zorinlynx
macrumors G3
Attach them in an email to lynx@zorin.org and I'll post them on my website which I host myself, and put the URLs here.
Adokimus
macrumors 6502a
This thing is UGLY
Um, yeah... I second that. The fanboys are brainwashed into thinking anything looks good. This thing is hid. I like the aluminum, I like the thin, but the white plastic on the aluminum looks TACKY and cheap. Apple really let us down here if this is true... admit it already. And hope it's fake.
Um, yeah... I second that. The fanboys are brainwashed into thinking anything looks good. This thing is hid. I like the aluminum, I like the thin, but the white plastic on the aluminum looks TACKY and cheap. Apple really let us down here if this is true... admit it already. And hope it's fake.
Fuchal
macrumors 68030
All you have to do is push alt-shift-K to get a perfect vector apple logo. If this was being faked then it would take 5 seconds to ensure a perfect apple logo, and there would be no room to mess it up. Clearly its a problem with real-world label printing or how the sticker was applied, and therefore not relevant at ALL.
fake
i say fake.
the combination of alu+plastic? no way
the 4 little round 'feet' are positioned in such as to be ineffective
FAKE 😀
i say fake.
the combination of alu+plastic? no way
the 4 little round 'feet' are positioned in such as to be ineffective
FAKE 😀
verniesgarden
macrumors 65816
i really think this was a concept design, but not the actual keyboard,
for one, I surely doubt apple would change keyboard layout... there is no reason to... and a million reasons not to
second, there would need to be curvature to the keyboard
third the keyboard is too low, needs a bit more thickness at the bottom for more ergonomics
but all being said, I think its a great approach to an elegant "different" keyboard , and would love one that matched my mac pro
but replying to the people that want a USB charged wireless keyboard, I hope you all were joking, since I haven't heard of such an oxymoron in a long time
for one, I surely doubt apple would change keyboard layout... there is no reason to... and a million reasons not to
second, there would need to be curvature to the keyboard
third the keyboard is too low, needs a bit more thickness at the bottom for more ergonomics
but all being said, I think its a great approach to an elegant "different" keyboard , and would love one that matched my mac pro
but replying to the people that want a USB charged wireless keyboard, I hope you all were joking, since I haven't heard of such an oxymoron in a long time
zorinlynx
macrumors G3
Weird, it appears to have TWO backslash/pipe keys. I guess it's trying to compromise between two popular layouts?
samh004
macrumors 68020
Are the 6 bigger photos from flickr the same as the ones that were posted to your website originally. I realise there were 11 originally posted, but at least one was a close-up that was altered, so I expect more could of been.
Are any of the original photos from your site, still not on engadget, or here, or have they all been accounted for ?
Thanks!!
dernhelm
macrumors 68000
Yeah, there a lot of weird placement on that keyboard. I really don't like volume controls next to the eject key. What is Fn F4 - Power? What is Fn F3 supposed to be?
Putting the function key up by home? My muscle memory has it down in the lower left corner because of my PB. What's wrong with leaving it there?
I dunno. The keyboard certainly looks cool - but I think it would take me way too long to transition to it.
plinkoman
macrumors 65816
hey, not everyone loves replacing batteries all the time... 😎
especially in a device that does nothing but sit 3 feet in front of the computer anyways.
you can pry my wired keyboard and mouse out of my cold dead hands.
GeekLawyer
macrumors 68020
I think it's both real and lovely. It may not be the production version, but I think in the design of this keyboard we've seen the best preview of the upcoming iMac yet. 